Whats everyone reading?

[Emp]

Just picked up Resurrection Day.

Its a sci-fi(what if)political drama based around the idea if the Cuban missile crisis had have ended the other way.

Not do you remember where you were when Kennedy was assinated and more do you remember where you were when Kennedy got the bombs dropping.

[noodles]

'The Book Thief' by Markus Zusak -it has Death (a character not an abstract), Nazis, and girl who collects books. Pretty good  so far -an original way of presenting a medieval morality tale.

[lackey]

burning island by bernard cornwell (book 5 of the ulthred series).
its about vikings killing saxons, then saxons killing vikings. this book heavily features killing. and apparently the sentance "i drew wasp-sting, the short blade being more practical in a shield wall than the longer bladed serpent-breath" anytime theres a shield wall,theres this one damn line. great books though

[TordelBack]

Just picked up Resurrection Day.

Very enjoyable read that one, great sense of the subdued atmosphere of its other America.

burning island by bernard cornwell (book 5 of the ulthred series).

Dead right about the repetition in the shield wall sequences, something that extends right back to the Arthur series.  But as you say, they're gripping books, and my favourite of his many series - I always look forward to each new one.  He has established Uthred as a character who is trapped in an endless cycle of behaviour, so I can certainly live with him as narratoe repeating himself.

[maryanddavid]

Ive just started Jeff Hawke Cosmos, bought a couple from the fan club and they are great, if a little pricey. Worth checking out if the Titan collections have whetted you appetite.

David

[lackey]

alas, i havnt read the arthur series, but im meaning to
. whilst doing reenactment, iv fought in a shield wall, and it is incredibly repetitive. push, hack, push, hack. but i think the repetitive shield wall sequences also serve to highlight the "sword-song" uthred feels in combat. as the story is being told by uthred reflecting on his youth, i can imagine that an old man wouldnt be able to look back and remember exact details during combat if hes entirly fuelled by adreneline and passion. he may remember feeling the sword-song,but is it possible to remember recapture thesmaller elements of combat that makes each fight so unique.
or possibly its just highlighting the repetitive butchering that was dark-age mass combat.
very sorry if this seems pretentious and full of awful typos and grammar, but iv just taken alot of painkillers! il edit this post when im a more suitable frame of mind.

[Keef Monkey]

Reading my xmas stocking book from my mam, Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith. Can't say I've heard of it or him but so far it's a right page turner.

[TordelBack]

. but i think the repetitive shield wall sequences also serve to highlight the "sword-song" uthred feels in combat. as the story is being told by uthred reflecting on his youth, i can imagine that an old man wouldnt be able to look back and remember exact details during combat if hes entirly fuelled by adreneline and passion. he may remember feeling the sword-song,but is it possible to remember recapture thesmaller elements of combat that makes each fight so unique.
or possibly its just highlighting the repetitive butchering that was dark-age mass combat.

Without wanting to wax too lyrical about an author whose writing is perhaps best described as 'workmanlike', I think you've hit the nail on the head here.  With the Saxon books and Uthred himself Cornwell has found himself a surprisingly interesting voice, and the repetitive nature of 'dark age' combat combined with unique details is a key part of this - I love how he spends time on some tiny aspect of the battlefield, a pockmarked face or a stand of bare trees on the horizon or a flight of birds, often unconnected to the story but clearly the thing that distinguishes that day in Uthred's memory.  It's a clever evocation of the oral saga (although Uthred is writing his), with its shortcuts and boilerplates and bright hooks. 

[Spaceghost]

Zima Blue, the short story collection by Alastair Reynolds. Only just started it but I always love his stuff.

If you live in Leeds (or any other town that has one) they've got this in The Works, the discount book shop, for £2.99. Bargain.

They've also got a couple of Stephen Baxter books in Poundland at the moment.

[SmallBlueThing]

On a Ben Bova kick at the moment (as opposed to Ben Dover, whom the shop assistant 'hilariously' thought i was asking for the other day), after having thoroughly enjoyed 'mars' and currently awaiting 'return to mars' in the post . Reading 'the precipice' while i wait. Great stuff, chunky, scientific science fiction, with a real sense of wonder.
SBT

[COMMANDO FORCES]

I started reading Dan Abnett's latest in the Gaunt's Ghosts novels BLOOD PACT last night, at work. It started off nice and slow, lot's of descriptive stuff about the location as characters are introduced and then before you know it the action kicks in and it hasn't stopped yet. With a bit of luck I should finish this at work tonight 

[Colin YNWA]

Just finished reading Flash 45-47 (Wally West Flash that is) and they are truly brilliant.

Now its fair to say I'm a pretty big Flash fan, particularly when it comes to Mr West, so I have a bias. After finishing my 2000ad re-read I'm working through all the 1987 series. While the Mike Baron stuff was great fun and the rest of the Messner-Loeb stuff is absolutely fantastic its always been these three issues, with the chilling Gorilla Grood as villain, that are not only a highlight of his run but the series as a whole. Which is pretty impressive when you consider that its the best long running superhero series I've ever read (230 issues), see I said I was bias!.

[COMMANDO FORCES]

Halfway through SABBAT WORLDS, which is a Warhammer 40,000 anthology!

It contains 8 stories all about the conflicts going on in the title. I managed to get this signed by Dan and his lovely wife (she's written a story about an enemy occupied planet).
I do like an anthology, as I can normally read a complete story each night, at the very least!

[Roger Godpleton]

with the chilling Gorilla Grood as villain

Dude, he's a fucking monkey.

[Jared Katooie]

He's an ape!